Blaine Eye Clinic Improved Patient Flow with NetPage Unlimited

Industry: Healthcare

“The new system has resulted in an increase in staff response time, which has helped improve our patient flow, allowing doctors to see more patients thus increasing revenue earned.”

-Nate Sulerud, Office Manager”

Profile:

Blaine Eye Clinic was founded in 1979 by Dr. Lynn A. Sulerud. Since then, the clinic has been serving the Blaine area with a knowledgeable and caring staff that is committed to Quality Eye Care and providing their patients with Quality Eye Wear. Through the years, the clinic has emphasized the importance of the personal relationships that develop over years of caring for their patients.

Product:

NetPage Unlimited and PC Staff Paging

Challenge:

Blaine Eye Clinic (BEC) had recently moved into a new building with a much larger square footage than its previous facility. According to Nate Sulerud, OfficeManager at Blaine Eye Clinic, “With a larger facility, efficient and effective communication between staff was much more of a necessity than ever.” BEC’s previous method of staff communication consisted of verbal communication between staff members, and a doorbell used to alert staff of ready patients, but both were often missed and were disturbing. Other methods tested were post-it notes used to notify staff, and phones; however, these methods were not effective as individuals did not get the post-it messages in a timely manner or were not always at their desks to answer their phones. Doctors had no immediate way of letting technicians know that they needed help in the exam room.

BEC had also gone paperless, fully transitioned to electronic medical records, and wanted a system that would reinforce their compliance to HIPAA’s privacy regulation. In addition to improving staff communication, the clinic also wanted to manage their patient flow more effectively.

Solution:

The system has allowed staff members to communicate and contact each other directly from their PC. “It’s been a painless transition for our staff using the new system. Implementation was easy and staff members from all ages are able to use the system and enjoy it,” says Sulerud. From the NetPage Unlimited screen, a staff member selects an individual or group to page. A preprogrammed message is then selected or a custom message is created, and the message is sent at the push of a button. The staff member(s) carrying an alphanumeric pager instantly receive(s) the message.

Results:

Reduced on-hold hang ups

As staff members can be contacted instantly, no matter where they are, the system has helped to reduce lost calls that once resulted from staff not responding quickly enough to incoming calls.

Increased efficiency in staff communication

Because computers are placed throughout the facility, including in exam rooms, doctors can contact technicians immediately without having to leave the room. “Our staff doesn’t have to go searching for our techs anymore when they are needed,” said Sulerud.

Improved patient flow

“The new system has resulted in an increase in staff response time, which has helped improve our patient flow, allowing doctors to see more patients thus increasing revenue earned,” adds Sulerud.

Increase in staff response time

The ability to locate and notify staff quickly has resulted in quicker response times to assistance needed by doctors and other staff. Techs are easily and quickly paged when someone needs assistance, and opticians can be instantly notified when glasses are needed.

Business Benefits:

Reduce on-hold hang-ups

Increased staff communication and response time

Improved patient flow

Increased revenue generated

Increased patient privacy in HIPAA compliance

Conclusion:

“Blaine Eye Center plans to continue to use the NetPage system as it has significantly helped to improve staff efficiency and has enhanced staff communication.